


Third Time's a Charm

by romanticalgirl



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-31
Updated: 2014-01-31
Packaged: 2018-01-10 15:53:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1161669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romanticalgirl/pseuds/romanticalgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cowritten by Tracy and Amy, neither of whom are in fandom anymore. :(</p>
            </blockquote>





	Third Time's a Charm

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted 2000

September, 2001

~This is the third time I've seen him this week. I wonder if he knows I watch him. I wonder if he can feel my eyes on him as I search for my people's curse. There has been no word from the elder woman, yet I know his soul must be lost. He would not leave her. He would not let his true love alone were he whole. He has strayed from the path. 

I know what I must do. I know my duty. Perhaps this is *my* destiny.~ 

***

The newspaper hit the desk with a resounding thud. Giles looked up at Xander's concerned face. "What is it this time?" 

"There's been another one." Xander's voice was tense. 

"Does it fit the same pattern?" Buffy asked, her voice betraying her unwillingness to think about what it might mean. 

"Well," Xander said sarcastically. "There was another puppy nailed to the wall. Does that answer your question?" 

Giles' voice was tight. "Xander," he warned. 

Willow walked into the thick tension of the room waving a videocassette. "We got Cordelia's latest audition tape. Why can't she call like everyone else?" 

Xander grabbed it from her hand, glancing at the label. "What do you guys think it is this time? Cheesy Aaron Spelling show? Oh no. She's going classical. Romeo and Juliet." 

Giles raised his eyebrows. "Romeo and Juliet? Cordelia? Chase?" Taking the tape, he popped it into the VCR. The screen went black and suddenly Angel's voice filled the room, immediately drawing Buffy's attention from the newspaper. 

"Hello lover." 

Her face fell as she realized the voice didn't belong to the man she loved, but instead to the demon who had already taken him twice. 

Xander smirked, "Well, I guess we know who's been adopting all the puppies in LA." 

Buffy ignored his pointed glare as Angelus' voice continued to fill the small room. Willow sank into the chair next to the Slayer and took her hand. "Maybe it's just a joke. Of…of the sick kind?" 

"I picked Romeo and Juliet just for you, Buff. I know how you love doomed romances. You're probably all wondering where the cover girl is. Allow me to introduce the new fall look." The screen lightened and they all gasped as Cordelia's naked and bruised body came into focus. 

"Is…" Xander's voice trembled. "Is she dead?" 

Cordelia looked up, her eyes glazed. "Kill him Buffy." Her voice, normally proud and strong, was tired but laced with conviction. Then in a moment of rare understanding, she added. "Please? For him? For all of us." 

Angelus came out of nowhere, backhanded her. Then, walking casually around her, he wrapped her hair around his hand and yanked her head to the side. "Do you think she'll taste as good as you? I mean, she's no Slayer," he licked Cordelia's neck slowly. "But she's got the taste of fear." 

"Shut it off." Xander demanded. "I think we've seen enough." 

Giles shook his head, refusing the request. "He must want something. We…"

Buffy nodded. "I know what he wants. Let's hear him say it." 

Willow bit her lower lip and wiped away her tears, her worried eyes traveling from Buffy to Xander. "She's right, Xander," she whispered. "We have to know." 

Xander's reply was cut off by Angelus' laugh. "You know," he stated, striding closer to the camera. "LA is a long way from Sunnydale. I was getting a little lonely, so I started taking a stroll down memory lane. And it came back to one thing. You." He sneered. "I want you back, Slayer. And I know you still want me because I can do things to you that no other man can." 

Xander's gaze was bitter as it landed on his friend. "Like send you a puppy. In pieces." 

Willow shook her head. "Xander…"

"I'm sorry Will, but I hate how I'm always right about this. And yet you still never listen to me." 

Giles held up his hand. "Stop it. All of you." 

"And don't think I've forgotten you, Giles," Angel said, interrupting the argument brewing. "As a matter of fact, I thought of you just the other day. One thing I have to say about the gypsies. They don't get any smarter, but they never lose their flavor." He held up the drained, bluish corpse of a dark haired man. "He thought he was doing me a favor, trying to give me back my soul. Little did he know that all he was doing is setting me free." 

Grabbing the book from Giles' hands, Xander flung it angrily across the room. He whirled to face Buffy. "All you had to do was kill him," he whispered brokenly. "And then Cordelia would have been safe." 

Willow dropped her eyes to the floor, her heart hardening. She'd just begun to hope that Xander was truly over Cordelia since she knew she was finally over Oz. "So what do we do?" 

"I…I can't." Buffy sank into her chair, her body lifeless and limp. "I can't do this anymore. I can't fight him. He always wins. He always will." 

Giles moved to Buffy's side. "We can win." 

"I tried to kill him once and I failed. What makes you think I can do again? It nearly destroyed me last time." Her eyes, glistening with tears, met his. "Need I remind you of that summer when I simply wasn't here?" She looked at Xander. "Nighthawk." 

He was about to respond when Angel's voice filled the room again. "It's Friday. It's noon. You have 48 hours, Buffy. Remember the place where it all began? You looked so beautiful in the moonlight, dust in your tears. How did feel, Buff, when the first stake slid home? Don't you wish you could do that to me right now? 48 hours, then the prom queen dies. If you're not here by then, I'm coming to you." He paced as he faced the camera, finally leaning in close to the lens and smirking wickedly. "What sort of noise do you think your mother will make when I snap her spine?" 

"Bastard," she whispered. A tear trailed down her cheek and landed on Willow's hand unnoticed. "How do I fight him when he has nothing to lose? I can't." 

"So he wins? Cordy dies? That's it? That's our plan?" Xander asked incredulously. 

"No." Willow's voice was quiet, but filled the room. "I have a different one. One that will get you Cordelia back." Determination filled her eyes as she from one best friend to the other. Stroking Buffy's hair back she tried to smile. "And Angel too." 

Struggling to keep her emotions in check, Willow stood and moved to the door. She knew what she needed to do…what they needed. And she was the only who could give it to them, no matter what it cost her. Again. 

Xander watched her leave the room, somehow knowing what she intended to do. He glanced worriedly at Buffy and Giles, his anger fueled by their seemed defeat. "So now you're going to let Willow run out there and get herself killed as well?" 

Buffy stood in a burst of anger. "I can't save everyone." 

Xander laughed bitterly as he followed Willow out the door. "Can you save anyone?" 

Buffy sank back down. "No Xander, I can't even save myself." 

***

Xander walked into Willow's apartment without knocking, slamming the door behind him. "I'm not going to let you go."

Willow calmly looked up from her keyboard. "Need I drag out my resolve face?" 

"You're just going to get yourself killed. I don't want to lose both you and Cordelia"

"I've done this before Xander. *I'm* there for Buffy when she needs me." 

"And so he gets his soul until next time. What if he comes after you? Who's going to save the world when you're not around?" 

She didn't allow herself to hear the pain in his voice. She had a job to do. "This is something I have to do, Xander and I'm going to do it with or without you. I'd rather do it with you. I'm not just trying to save the world. I'm trying to save your Cordelia. How about putting aside some of your bitterness and helping me?" 

"I can't do it, Wills. I can't run the risk of this happening again. This isn't just about Cordelia. It's about everyone who has died in the last week while he's been loose. I don't want him to have a soul, Willow. I don't want him to be sorry. Being sorry hasn't made it better. It hasn't made it safe. I just want him dead." 

Willow shook her head sadly. "Well I can't allow that. I can't accept it. He's helped us too many times. Buffy loves him too much. You kill him, you kill her." 

"I kill him, I set her free." Xander strode over to her and knelt beside her chair. "I don't want to lose any more friends. We've all lost too many." He lay a hand on her thigh and raised the other to brush her cheek. "There's going to come a day when no one can fix this. I'm just trying to head it off at the pass." 

She moved away from his touch. "You're just trying to eliminate the competition." 

Stunned, he stood and stepped away. "Is that what you think?" 

"I don't know what to think." She shook her head. "When Oz left, all I heard was that I was *your* Willow again. I belong to you as long as it's convenient for you. But the minute you get the chance to play the hero, I'm forgotten. I'm not your best friend. I'm not anything. You haven't changed Xander. I don't think you can." 

"What does this have to do with Angel?" 

"Nothing," She laughed bitterly. Grabbing the printout, she brushed past him, headed for her room. 

Catching her arm, he whirled her around. "You've known me so long and you always believe you know what I'm thinking." 

"I do know what you're thinking Xander, whether or not you admit it. But you've never managed to figure me out, so I'll give you a clue. I'm leaving. And I'm going to do this. You don't have any say in the matter. Not that you ever did." 

His hands tightened on her arms. "I just want to protect you." 

"I don't need your protection, Xander. I need your support. I need you to let me do the things that need to be done. And I have to save Cordelia and I have to save Angel." 

"But who's going to save you?" 

"Well, that used to be your job. But apparently, you aren't up for the task anymore." She stared at him, searching his eyes for a sign of understanding. What had happened to the friend she'd grown up with? The man she'd grown to love? Willow sighed, resigning herself to hiding her feelings once more, so he could have who he really wanted. "Now, I've got a lot to do, Xander. I would think that saving Cordelia would be your first priority. So you can help me save her or you can leave, but I don't have time to argue. Cordelia's life is hanging in the balance." 

***

"Damn it." Willow kicked the side of the car in a fit of anger then grabbed her bag out of the back seat. "I swear to God, Harris, if you did anything to my car, I'm going to find Spike and feed you to him." 

She started walking, hefting her bag over her shoulder. Sticking her thumb out, she looked up in surprise as a car pulled over immediately. "Need a lift?" 

"Depends." She looked at him warily. "Where are you going?" 

Smiling apologetically, Xander leaned over and opened her door. "Wherever you need me to take you." 

She got in the car hesitantly, wondering if he was serious or if he was just going to turn around and head back to Sunnydale. "I'm not joking, you know. I'm headed for LA." 

"Then so am I." He pulled back onto the freeway, refusing to look at her. "We're best friends, Wills. We're a team. Whether you believe it or not." 

"I do believe it Xander. I just sometimes wonder if you do." 

"Right. Because everything is always my fault. I'm always the one who does everything wrong. I'm always the one who doesn't see." 

"Right." 

He glanced at her quickly, trying to decide if she was joking or not. She flashed him a quick smile, impulsively reaching over and squeezing his hand. He grinned back. "You're supposed to stick up for me a little bit, you know." 

***

Xander's sigh filled the silence as they passed a mileage marker. "Only ten more miles to the city limits." He glanced over at her, his face tense. "Only 28 hours to save Cordelia and we have no idea where she is. Where do we start? Do we have a plan?" 

She looked sheepish. "Well, actually, I was going with the act first, think later kind of plan. Sort of adopting your philosophy." 

"No," he said with a glare. "I have a plan. I want to kill him." 

"Do you think you can kill him before he kills Cordelia?" She looked away angrily. "All I want is to save her for you. Why does that bother you so much?" 

"This has nothing to do with Cordelia." 

"It has everything to do with Cordelia! It's obvious how you feel about her. I'm surprised that you're willing to risk her life just to get some sort of vengeance." 

"How I…I don't want vengeance Willow. I want justice." 

"You want Cordelia back. And I'm going to get her for you. Isn't that what I always do?" She opened her laptop and looked down at it, in an effort to keep him from seeing her tears. "Angel lives. Cordelia lives. Everyone's happy. You're happy Xander. And isn't making you happy the sole purpose for my existence?" 

He flinched from the pain in her voice. "I never asked you to make me happy, Willow." 

"You don't have to remind me of that." She closed the computer and turned to him. "Go to Doyle's. We'll need his help." 

"Fine." He sped up as the city limits sign came into view. "So we're just ending this conversation? Writing this whole thing off?" 

"This whole thing? You mean our friendship?" 

He pursed his lips together. "We need to stop this. If we don't, we're not going to have a friendship left." 

"Fine." 

"Fine." 

After a few minutes, Xander turned down a dark road. "I still want him dead Wills, but I'll make you a deal. I'll let him live, as long as Cordy does." 

***

The bell tinkled above the door as Willow pushed it open. "Go away. I'm busy. We're closed." 

"It's us, Doyle." Xander shut the door behind them and flopped into the chair across the desk from the demon. "And we need your help. I don't care what you're busy with." 

"I'll tell you what I'm busy with," he snarled. "My boss has suddenly started snacking on the local populace and our secretary is set to be his next appetizer. So you'd better have really good news or get the hell out." 

"Why don't you tell us what the newspapers haven't been?" Xander said. 

"You mean before or after he lost his soul right in front of us?" Doyle sneered at them. "One minute we're having our weekly argument and the next he's striding out the door sucking some poor gypsy's blood." 

"What did the gypsy say?" 

"Well, gee, Red, if I spoke Romanian I wouldn't have spent the last four days searching for some sort of cure." 

"Don't you have some sort of demon power that lets you repeat stuff?" Xander asked. "I mean, what good is being a demon if you don't have some sort of super power?" 

"Well, I could snap your twiggy little neck. How's that for a power?" 

"Tell me what he did," Willow insisted. "Everything." 

"Well, I didn't really notice him. All I got was Angelus grabbing him, sinking his teeth into his neck and the crystal ball shattering." 

"Crystal ball?" Xander and Willow asked simultaneously. 

"Yeah. Looked like a paperweight." 

"Shit." 

Both Doyle and Xander turned and looked at Willow, shocked. 

She turned away, her mind working quickly. "The Orb of Thessulah," she explained. "He was trying to restore Angel's soul." 

"News flash. Blood boy already had a soul." 

"Blood boy," Xander smiled. "I like that." 

"Can we focus?" Willow slammed her hand down onto the desk. "Why would he think he didn't have a soul? What was Angel doing?" 

"What the hell do you think he was doing? He was brooding. That's what he does. And in between brooding fits, he'd go and kick some demon ass." Doyle shrugged. "Find this all helpful and interesting, do ya?" 

Willow rubbed her aching temples. "So what you're saying is that, in trying to restore a soul that he already had, he lost it again. Shouldn't there be some sort of ban on gypsies coming into this country?" 

Doyle glanced at Xander. "Isn't she supposed to be the smart one?" 

"Get off her case, the Slayer's a basket case and now she's got to work with you. I think she's doing pretty well. After all, it took you four days to come up with absolutely nothing." 

"Yeah, well, figuring it out is one thing. Fixing it is another. As far as I can tell, there's no cure." 

"I can fix it," Willow's voice rang clear, ending their argument. Then she sighed heavily. "I always fix it." 

"She's got some issues, doesn't she?" Doyle asked Xander. "I always heard she was the stable one. So what do you need to fix this? I'm expecting a paycheck next week. And since he signs the checks, it would be nice to have him back." 

Xander glanced at his watch and immediately sobered. "Well, I hate to put a damper on your mercenary spirit, but we've only got a day left to save Cordelia." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Angel's decided that we're playing beat the clock." Xander looked at Willow. "We've got about 27 hours left before he makes Cordy his afternoon snack then heads to Sunnydale for some Hellmouth action." 

Doyle looked over at Willow. "All right, Red. So what do we do?" 

"I need to get some things together." 

"Great." Xander stood. "We'll go do some snooping and see if we can find Dead boy. Anything you need, Wills? Stinky herbs? Sharp stakes?" 

"I need an orb of Thessulah." She glanced at Doyle. "It holds Angel's soul before I can transfer it back to him. Can you get me one?" 

A knowing smile suddenly transformed Doyle's face. "Yeah. I think I can help you there. I know some people." 

"All right," Xander punched his fist into his other hand. "So we're off." 

Willow waited until Xander had left the room then grabbed Doyle's arm. "Doyle?" 

"What is it Red?" 

"Watch him. I think where Cordelia's involved he doesn't always think clearly. He's liable to do something stupid." 

"You mean stupider?" Doyle nodded. "That seems to happen to a lot of guys where she's concerned." 

Willow's smile was knowing this time. "Guys like you?" 

Doyle walked to the door and opened it. "I've got to go keep your boyfriend in line, Red. I'll get you what you need." 

Willow waited for the door to close behind him, staring after them with sad eyes. "You're taking what I need with you." 

***

Doyle ran an appreciative hand along the side of the car. "Nice wheels." 

"Yeah, it's a big hit with the demon crowd." Xander climbed in. "So, where are we going? Any idea where he might be holding her?" 

"Gee, I plumb forgot to ask him where he'd take people if he went on a murderous rampage. What was I thinking?" Doyle glared at the younger boy. "It's not typical office conversation. Gee, Angel, if you were to kidnap Cordelia, where would you lock her up? Not that gagging her didn't enter into our talks sometimes." 

"You're a real asshole, aren't you?" 

"You bring it out in me. I hear you do that to a lot of people." Doyle slipped on his sunglasses. "Well, why don't you tell me what exactly he said when he called." 

"He didn't call. He sent us a video. Cordelia's weekly video, only more of a director's cut. Rated NC-17 for violence and nudity." 

Rolling his eyes, Doyle gritted his teeth. "Why didn't you mention the video before?" 

"Slipped my mind?" 

"Shit. Just…just tell me what the room she was in looked like." 

"I was a little too busy staring at what the bastard had done to her." 

With lighting reflexes, Doyle reached over and turned the ignition off, bringing the car to a stuttering halt. "All right, you little prick, you want to play around with her life, then fine. We can just sit here all fucking day and pass idle conversation. You want to save her, then start remembering." 

"She was chained to a chair. It was dark and there was stonework in the background." 

"Well that narrows it down. We'll just go around looking for stones." 

"Well, gee. He didn't exactly provide a map of the area." 

"Was there anything he said? He has a tendency to talk too much when he's feeling cocky." 

Xander thought for a moment. "He threatened Cordelia, he taunted Buffy, he talked about her first kill, he gave her a deadline and then threatened to snap her mother's spine. All in all, quite the plan." 

Doyle shook his head. "You're really an idiot, aren't you?" Reaching in his pocket, he whipped out his cell phone. Punching a button, he waited impatiently, tapping his foot. "Yeah. Ex-watcher?" He paused. "Ask the Slayer where her first kill was. What? Yeah, they're here. And I just love havin' company. Red's company, anyway." 

"Tell him we're fine." 

"Idiot boy says things are fine. Yeah, fancies he's takin' care of things. What? Right, Pacific Crest Cemetery." He hung up the phone, raising an eyebrow at Xander's look. "You got something to say?" 

"Not a word." He turned the key, starting the car again. "So, we're off to the cemetery?" 

"I've got to make one more stop. We've got to do some shopping for Red." 

"Right," Xander said sarcastically. "We've got to save Angel's soul. Again." 

***

Willow waited impatiently while the phone rang. Finally, the resigned voice of her friend answered. "Hello?" 

"Buffy?" 

"Willow. What are you doing? Doyle just called and told us you and Xander were down in LA." 

"This isn't something you should have to go through again, Buffy. I can cure him. I can give him back his soul." 

"It doesn't matter. I'm not sure he can live with it this time, Will. I'm almost positive I can't. If I let him do what he wants, it'll all be over." 

"So Xander was right? You're just giving up?" 

"I'm not giving up." A bit of determination came back into Buffy's voice. "I'm just expecting to lose." 

"I'm not going to let anyone lose." Feeling tears threatening at the lie, Willow caught her breath. "Don't worry, Buffy." She hung up the phone carefully, trying to hide the trembling in her hands. 

Sinking into the chair, she blindly grabbed something off the desk and hurled it against the wall. The sound of shattering glass and cracking wood echoed through the room. 

Moving to the wall, she sank down onto her knees and picked up the pieces of what she'd thrown. Her breath caught as she turned the destroyed frame over and saw Xander's face. Her eyes blurred with tears that dripped onto his smile. 

"She loves him too," she reminded herself. "That's why you're doing this. You're doing it for them. It's just so hard…so hard to be friends, and do the right thing, when all I want is to come between them." 

***

Doyle looked over at Xander. "You coming in?" 

"I'll wait for you in the car." Xander leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes. "Just don't take too long." 

"Why don't I believe you?" 

"Well, I guess demons just aren't the trusting sort." 

"Red doesn't trust you either." 

"She has reason not to." Xander replied. "The clock is ticking." 

"Right." Doyle disappeared into the darkened doorway. Waiting until he was completely out of sight, Xander started the car once again and pulled away from the curb, tires squealing. 

Xander looked into his rearview mirror as Doyle appeared in the doorway again, cursing loudly. Smiling sadly, he sighed. "And now she's got one more reason not to believe in me." 

***

"You know, they say you should never play chess with Death." Angelus leaned forward and moved one of his pieces. "Especially when you're tied down and bound to lose. Although, ever since high school, you've been losing, haven't you, Queen Chase?" 

"Screw you." 

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. What kind of thing is that for a lady to say?" He reached over and took her knight from the table. "Oh look, I'm taking your knight. Pity. What will you do without one of those to rescue you, your Majesty?" 

"I can't wait until Buffy kills you. I've decided that." She glared at him. 

"You wound me, Cordelia. Aren't you going to spend some time appealing to my humanity? Aren't you going to beg me to look deep inside and find the man you shared an office with for the past two years?" 

Cordelia managed a laugh. "Unlike some people, I've never confused Angel and Angelus. You're Angelus. And you're the one I want dead." 

"Too bad you won't be around to see that." Standing, he walked behind her and grabbed her wrist. Twisting it viciously, he looked at her watch. "Let's see how much time you have left to live, shall we?" 

Gritting her teeth against the pain, she hissed at him. 

"How animalistic. I love it when humans get down to their most basic form. Sort of turns me on." 

"I'd rather be dead." 

"How convenient." 

***

Xander's car glided to a silent stop beside the cemetery entrance. He glanced at the arsenal beside him. "Stakes. Stakes. And stake. I'm good to go."

Moving quietly from the car, he scanned the multitude of mausoleums, looking for heavy stonework. He gave a quick glance to the fading sunlight and took a deep breath. "Night time. Great. Now would be a good time for a Slayer. Although my luck, I'd get Faith." 

The sound of stone grinding against stone caught his attention and he made his way toward it. He saw a dark figure merge with the shadows then disappear. 

"Dead boy's pulling the shadow trick. This must be my lucky night." 

He ducked inside the partially open doorway and flicked on his flashlight. He shone it around the room, stopping when it lit on Cordelia's legs. 

"You know, this might be taking the bait thing a bit too far." He moved over and looked at her bruised face. "Are you okay?" 

"I've been better and looked a hell of a lot prettier." 

"You're alive. To me, you look gorgeous." He glanced around. "Where did he go?" 

"Dinner. I'm not on tonight's menu." She looked down at her bare skin. "I don't suppose you brought me clothes? I mean, I'll even take off the rack." 

"Our bags are still in the car." He grabbed the keys from where they were hanging, just out of her reach. Moving behind her, he slipped the key into the lock. "You should be able to fit into something of mine or Willow's." 

"I don't suppose you're parked somewhere where no one would be able to see me walking to the car? I mean, in LA, it's dangerous walking naked anywhere, even through a cemetery full of dead people." 

"I'm outside the gates. I didn't want to let anyone know I was here." 

She sighed with resignation. "Streaker girl, I'll be then. No one…no one else is with you, right? Like…like Doyle?" 

"Uh, no. I sort of ditched him." 

She nodded, relieved. "Let's go then." 

They left the small room, heading for the car. As they approached it, Cordelia tensed, tightening her hand on Xander's arm. He followed her eyes, not at all surprised to see Angel reclining against the driver's door. 

"Get ready to run," he whispered to Cordelia. 

"What are you going to do?" 

"Just…please? Just get ready to run." He released his arm from her grip and let the stake slide down the sleeve of his loose jacket. Gripping it like Buffy had taught them all, he stopped. 

Angelus smiled. "I should have know. You really do have a white knight complex don't you? It's going to get you killed someday. Like today." 

Taking a deep breath, Xander straightened. "Only one of us is going to die today. And I promise you it isn't going to be me." His eyes narrowed as Angelus moved a step closer. 

Closing his eyes for a moment, he offered up a silent prayer and threw the stake at his nemesis. His eyes snapped open and he stared at the figure in front of him. Then, realizing Cordelia was still at his side, he pushed her, hard. "Run, damn it." 

"Running's not going to save her." Angelus pulled the stake from his stomach. "And nothing is going to save you." 

Xander grabbed a second stake out of his waistband and hefted it. "My aim's better when my eyes are open." 

Laughing, the vampire strode forward. "Well, I'll have to make sure those are the first things I get rid of." 

Xander gulped. This was not going as well as he'd planned. He caught sight of Cordelia's white form as she disappeared into the night. Part of his mission was accomplished. The second half, the don't die half, was in serious jeopardy. "How come when Will acts first and thinks later, it always works out for her?" he mumbled. 

In a flash of leather, Angelus was at Xander's side. He grabbed his wrist and twisted it until the fragile bones snapped. "You know, I think this is gonna be fun. You mean a lot more to her than Cordelia does. I wonder, do you still love her?" 

Xander's reply was lost as Angelus sent him tumbling into unconsciousness. But his thoughts as he slipped to the ground were not on the woman he'd just saved, or the Slayer whose job he was performing, but on the red headed woman who was waiting for him. 

***

Cordelia ran blindly, weaving through the tombstones, trying to find the other exit. She bit her lower lip to keep her screams inside, not wanting to let Angelus know where she was. 

And she couldn't let herself think about what he might be doing to Xander. 

Reaching up to wipe the tears that suddenly clouded her eyes away, she ran into a wall. A wall that moved. 

Screaming, she struggled to get away as arms clamped tightly around her. 

"You know, Chase. I always figured you for a screamer. I knew there was some hot blood under that ice queen exterior." 

In a moment of relief, Cordelia stopped struggling and instead threw her arms around him. "I never thought I'd ever be glad to see you." 

Doyle patted her back comfortingly. "Well, it's a mutual thing. Although I have to wonder if you mean to be naked." 

"Oh God!" She pulled away from him then ran behind him and pressed against his back. "Please tell me you have clothes?" 

He laughed, "I think we can find something. By the way, where's Harris?" 

His smile faded as the pressure of her body disappeared. Turning around, he looked down at the ground where she had passed out. Taking off his coat, he tenderly wrapped it around her bruised body. "Come on, Chase. I'll take you home." 

***

Willow opened the office door as Doyle appeared, carrying Cordelia. "Is she okay? Is everything all right? Where's…" Her voice lowered worriedly. "Where's Xander?" 

Doyle ignored the questions as he carried his bundle to the nearby couch. "Look. I found Cordelia." 

"Where's Xander?" 

"Did the package come?" 

"Where. Is. Xander?" 

"That's kind of a funny story." He stopped as her face went white. "Okay, well not so funny if you actually like the guy." 

"Doyle?" She stepped forward, her eyes bright as she struggled to breathe. "You have less than a minute to tell me where he is before I stake you." 

"I'm not a vampire." 

"I never said I'd stake you in the heart." 

"Quite the temper, Red." 

"This isn't funny!" 

Doyle sighed and was about to answer when a knock came at the door. Willow glared at him and went to answer it. A skinny, delivery boy stood there. "I got a package for a Mr. Doyle?" 

Doyle stepped forward and signed for it. He closed the door and handed it to Willow. "I got what you needed." 

"No you didn't!" It took all of Willow's self control not to send the orb hurtling to the ground. "You lost what I needed you stupid, immortal, self-centered...jerk." 

"I'm not a babysitter. If he's going to run off and try and take on Angelus by himself, I don't see how I'm supposed to stop him. Which, by the way, is what he did. He's an ace at letting you down Kid. You should just let him go." 

"I don't know how." 

"Learn." 

***

"Smile for the camera, pretty boy. Oh wait, not quite so pretty now." Angelus moved forward, the video camera focused on Xander's bleeding face. "You broke so easily, it was hardly a challenge. Cordelia was much more fun."

Xander spit blood in his direction. Dancing out of the way, Angelus laughed. 

"Don't let it all go to waste." He ran a finger along Xander's cheek, tilting his head up so that his eyes were staring directly into the lens. "Say hello to your lover girls, Xander." 

"I'd rather you say hello to a stake." 

"Buffy doesn't have it in her." He walked away, the camera still filming, panning down Xander's naked body covered in welts. "Get your thrills while you can girls, he's not going to be around much longer." 

Xander swallowed hard, knowing Willow would have this videotape shortly. He wished he had the courage to say everything he'd wanted to and hadn't. Instead, he licked his lips. "I'm sorry Wills." 

***

Willow's ashen face was streaked with tears as Doyle snapped off the TV. "He gave us until six tomorrow morning, how long will your spell take?" When she didn't answer, he grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Look here, Red, it's obvious that you love him, okay? And from my lifetime of experience, I'm gonna let you know that you don't offer an apology like that if you don't love the person you're apologizing to." 

Willow looked up, hope behind the fear in her eyes. 

"So stick with me. How long does the spell take? What do we have to do to save him?" 

She glanced over at Cordelia who was still asleep on the couch. "We'll need her." She smiled weakly as she looked at him again. "And you're wrong. He loves her. Not me." 

"Humans," he sighed wearily. "He cares about her. He loves you. You can see it on his face. All you have to do is been willing to look." 

"I've been willing since birth." 

"Well, then you need to get your eyes checked. I've never seen anyone more in love." Tilting her chin up and smiling down at her, he laughed. "Well, except maybe you." 

***

Giles stopped the Citroen outside of the detective agency. He glanced over at the woman in the passenger's seat. She'd seemed to grow smaller as they'd gotten closer and closer to town. "Buffy?" 

"I know that I have to do this, Giles, but I don't know…I don't know that I can." 

"You can and you will. It's who you are." 

"I don't like being me anymore." 

Reaching over, he touched the back of her hand. "You do such a wonderful job of it though." 

She managed a smile for him. "Time to save the world?" 

"Once again." 

"Right." She took a deep breath and grabbed the door handle. "Shall we go see if Willow and Xander have everything under control?" 

"Somehow I doubt very much that anything Xander is involved in is remotely under control." 

"Let's save the day then." 

***

Angelus tapped the chess piece lightly against the table. "They must really want you dead, Harris. What did you do this time?" 

Xander raised his tired eyes. "I wanted to kill you." 

Angelus laughed. "Is that what they're all upset about?" He stood and circled to behind Xander's chair. "They should be more worried about your death." He took the white knight chess piece from the table in from of him and held it up for Xander to examine. He placed it on the floor in front of Xander and smiled at his captive. Then he brought his boot sharply down on the piece, causing it to snap in two. "Do you think that'll hurt, Harris? When I do it to you?" 

***

"He what?" Giles and Buffy's voices filled the small room. Willow flinched and stepped back from the angry pair. 

"I told him not to." 

"Oh yes, and talking is always the best route when it comes to Xander." Giles started pacing the small room. "And where were you during all of this, Doyle?" 

"Me?" He smiled lasciviously and glanced at Cordelia, modestly covered and sleeping on the sofa. "I was saving her. I can't refuse a damsel in distress. Especially when she's naked." 

"Great." Buffy sank into a nearby chair that filled her nostrils with the scent of her old lover. "Isn't this just perfect?" 

"It's getting there," Willow muttered. 

"So Red, are you planning on filling us in any time soon?" 

Willow frowned at him. "Wake Cordelia up. She needs to be in on this. She and Giles are the only ones here who have experience in this, other than me." 

Doyle nodded curtly, walking over to the couch and kneeling beside it. "Hey, Cutie Spice. Wake up." He gently patted her cheek and she moaned. A wicked smile flashed over his face and he quickly pressed his mouth to hers. 

"Doyle!" The group spoke in unison, and he looked up. 

"What? It works in fairy tales!" 

Turning back to her, his finger gently grazed her jaw line and Cordelia stirred lightly. "Doyle?" she mumbled. 

Doyle's face registered surprise, then settled into a pleased expression. "Yeah, Chase, it's me," he whispered, his voice rough. His lips met her forehead sweetly, and he closed his eyes against the sudden ache in his chest, an ache that he hadn't felt and hadn't wanted to feel in a long time. Her eyes fluttered open slowly and their gazes locked. "Are you coming back to us now?" 

A soft, confused smile answered him and she silently struggled to sit up. "Yeah," she said weakly. "So what'd I miss?" 

"We're doing the curse," Willow explained impatiently. "And we need your help." 

Cordelia nodded. "I'm there, I can be stinky herb girl again." 

Willow cracked a tense smile. "Thank you. Anything to save Xander, right?" 

"Yes," Cordelia admitted. "And Angel." 

***

They got out of the car, making as little noise as possible. Dawn shimmered in the distance, painting the sky a warm glow. Giles spread out the blanket on some damp grass, and began to set thing up. A moment later, he looked up at Willow, "Where is the Orb?" 

"Oh." Willow dug in her bag for a moment, and then pulled it out, holding it up to the faint sunlight. "Here it is." 

She started to hand it to him, but paused for a moment, staring at the Orb intently, her brow furrowed. She opened her mouth to say something, when Doyle's hand landed gently on her shoulder. "It's okay, Red. It'll serve its purpose." 

Willow looked at him and nodded. "Okay." Sitting down on the edge of the blanket, she set the Orb in the basket in front of her. Glancing at her watch, she felt her heart clench as she realized Xander only had less than a half an hour left. "We're running out of time. Let's get this started." 

***

"You know what I love most about torture, Xander?" Angelus ran the tip of the heated knife along his cheek. "The way it gets your blood pumping. I can hear it whistling beneath your skin. I can smell your fear." He chuckled low in his throat. "But then, I could always smell your fear." 

Xander glared at him defiantly. "I'm not afraid of you." 

"Right. Because you keep thinking that your girls will save you." The knife pierced the skin near his jugular. Bending down, Angelus lapped the thin trail of blood from the sweaty flesh. 

"Somebody will kill you someday Angel, I'm just sorry that I'm not going to get to be the one." 

***

"Not dead, nor not of the living." Willow closed her eyes, assured that everyone was doing their job. Buffy stood poised off the blanket, ready to defend them all, as she wasn't able to the first time they'd tried. "Spirits of the interregnum, I call. Restore to the corporal vessel that which separates us from beast. Use this orb as your guide." 

***

Straightening, Angel's eyes widened, his visage slipping from vampiric to human. "Your little witch is getting braver every day." 

Xander opened his eyes, a smile trembling on his lips. "You'd better hurry. Or you're going to be denied your last meal." 

"You think so? You think that she'll be able to kill me when I'm standing there with my soul in my eyes?" 

"Buffy's not going to kill you." Xander smiled in earnest as everything started to make sense to him. "You're just about to kill the man Willow loves. You think she's going to forgive you for that?" 

***

"Not dead, nor not of the living. Spirits of the interregnum, I call. Let him know the pain of humanity, gods - reach your wizened hands to me, give me the soul of Angelus." 

***

Falling to the ground at Xander's feet, Angelus looked up at the younger man. "What is she doing to me?" 

"You'd think you'd be used to this by now. After all, they say the third time's a charm." 

"Something's…something's different." He gasped, pain shooting through him. "She's killing me." 

"Told you." 

***

"Gods bind him, cast his heart from the demon realm. Return his soul. I call on you, gods, do not ignore this supplication! Let the orb be the vessel to carry his soul to him! It is written, this power is my people's right to wield." 

***

"NO!" Angelus' scream filled the stone mausoleum and he flung himself from one wall to the other. "No! I will not!" 

***

"Let it be so! NOW!!!" 

***

The grounds of the cemetery trembled as the orb began to glow. Buffy braced herself, barely remaining standing as lightning filled the sky. 

Clutching his chest, Angel crumpled to the floor, glancing up at Xander. "You win," he panted. "I'm going to die. I want to die." He flung himself to his feet with a sudden burst of strength and tore the door of the mausoleum open. 

He ran out, headed directly for Buffy who stood frozen, a stake gripped tightly in her hand. He opened his arms as if to embrace the sunlight. Buffy took a tentative step toward him as all of the others got to their feet. 

Doyle was the first to reach him, pulling him toward him. "Nice try, you big stupid idiot, but it ain't gonna work. Suicide isn't an option. Besides, we give you your soul for eternity and this is how you repay us?" Smiling slowly, he continued, "Speaking of payment…"

***

Willow ignored the two demons, her mind and heart intent on only one thing. She paused in the door of the darkened crypt, trying to remind her heart to keep beating. 

"Xander?" she whispered. 

His voice was worn, "Hey Wills. I don't suppose you have a really big bandage with you?" 

Her face melted into a mixture of relief and horror as her eyes adjusted to the dim light. He was sitting there, his eyes burning into her. "Giles has a first aid kit." 

"I don't think that's the kind of healing I'm going to need." 

"I could…I could get Cordelia?" 

"I don't need Cordelia. I don't want Cordelia." 

"Buffy?" She asked, a hint of laughter in her voice. 

"Nope. I'm off Slayers for life." 

"Then who?" She smiled and stepped closer to him. "I'm running out of people here." 

"There's one person left. The only person who has always been they're for me. The only person I've ever loved with all of me." 

She bit her lip, sniffing back the tears that sparkled in her eyes. "You know, you're kind of naked?" 

He blushed with embarrassment. "I'm getting more aware of that by the second. I don't suppose there's a blanket with that first aid kit?" 

"I could go check." She turned around, stopped only by his voice. 

"Hey Wills?" 

Turning slowly, she smiled at him, every emotion shining in her eyes. "Yeah?" 

"Let someone else get the blanket. I don't want you to leave me." 

"What should I do then?" 

"Come here and kiss me?" 

***

Giles helped Xander walk toward the car. As they passed Angel, Xander stopped. "Hey Soul boy." 

Angel turned, remorse suffusing his whole being. "Xander, I…"

"You're gonna get one hell of a sunburn if you stay out here much longer." He glanced at Doyle. "I'm guessing you managed to find some pretty powerful sunblock?" 

Doyle shrugged, feigning innocence. "Somebody had to keep this from happening again. Took it upon myself. After all, this is the first steady job I've had in centuries. The dog track isn't always reliable." 

Buffy shook her head; her eyes never leaving Angel as she stared at him in the sun for the first time. "But…but how…with the sun?" 

"The thing that sets vampires apart from humans." He shrugged again. "There's no such thing as a perfect human, they're all flawed. Souls, on the other hand, have a tendency to be as close to perfect as they can be. That's why the orb works on them. Perfection draws perfection." 

"Okay, not understanding." 

"The orb we used," he gestured to the empty basket, "had certain flaws built in, per my specifications. Flaws…just like a human." 

"You mean he's human?" 

"God no. You think there's a cure for that? He's a vampire. He's just…modified." 

"Modified?" Cordelia asked with interest. "Modified how?" 

"Well, he can walk in daylight. He can bathe in holy water, he can walk through a church without fear. And," Doyle looked directly at Buffy and smirked. "He can make with the horizontal mambo." 

"Without any side effects?" Buffy asked hesitantly. 

"You might want to visit Planned Parenthood, Slayer." 

Buffy sank to her knees, swallowing rapidly. "This wasn't quite what I expected." 

Willow smiled and looked at Xander. "I don't think it was what any of us expected." 

He held out his hand to his best friend and pulled her into his embrace. "So, I'm guessing we're all headed home?" 

"Well, except Buffy, I'm guessing," Cordelia said with a smirk. "She and Angel might have a little catching up to do." 

Angel and Buffy shared a look, agreeing with Cordelia's words. 

"Us too, eh Wills?" Xander smiled down at her. 

"A lifetime." 

He kissed the tip of her nose and then stepped away. Holding the blanket around himself, he took a step toward Angel and slugged him hard in the stomach where he'd impaled him with the stake earlier. Stepping back, his eyes slightly nervous, he held out his hand. "Now we're even?" 

"I think you owe me a few more punches." 

"If you insist…"

Holding out his hand, Angel took Xander's and shook it. "Truce?" 

"I suppose that's all we can hope for. We're sure as hell not friends." 

"Thank God." 

***

Willow stood in the door of Xander's hospital room as he gathered the last of his things. "You know, you were only here for three days, I don't know how you managed to have so much stuff here." 

"I'm charming. People give me gifts." Raising his eyebrows, he smiled. "Got anything you wanna give me?" 

"I don't know that you're recovered enough." 

He set the bag on the bed and strode over to her. "You know, with all the pain and the hospital and such, I never got to kiss you properly." 

"You wanted to?" 

"Why do you think I recovered so fast?" 

"They don't feed you enough?" 

"Well, okay, there is that." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her into the room. Helping her up onto the bed, he sat down beside her. "But mostly, it was because there was something I really, really wanted to do." 

"Show me?" 

He nodded, his breath brushing her lips. "With pleasure." 


End file.
